Boone Grove junior has scored at least one goal in all eight matches

BOONE GROVE | Scoring three goals in one match is something any soccer player would be happy to accomplish just once in a career.

Scoring three goals in back-to-back matches would be a special achievement as well. Scoring three goals apiece in the first three matches of the season would be a pipe dream at any level of soccer.

For Boone Grove junior Mackenzie Starcevich, three hat tricks in the first three matches of the season is simply her reality.

"My job is to go out there and try to score goals," Starcevich said. "I don't really think about how many I've scored in a game. We're just trying to win."

Starcevich has fulfilled her job in every match for the Times No. 9 Wolves (6-2) as the junior has found the back of the net 14 times this season and at least once in every contest.

"Mackenzie is a really solid player for us and she has been a wonderful asset," Boone Grove coach Chad Roggow said. "We've always been lucky with some talented goal-scorers in my nine years here."

In addition to Starcevich, Roggow also calls on the services of fellow junior Paige Aguilera. Midway through their third varsity season, the pair of juniors have combined for more than 100 goals.

"We always said that we wanted to play together, even from when we were little," Starcevich said. "This is how we saw it when we were growing up."

While having two prolific goal scorers could be a problem when there is only one ball on the field, Roggow credits both players with their constant teamwork.

"I don't think one of them could function as easily without the other," Roggow said. "That's not to say that they aren't very good on their own, but together, there is no way teams can man-mark both of them."

Scoring goals not withstanding, Starcevich understands that as an upperclassman, she has a larger role on the team as a leader. The Wolves graduated nine seniors from last season's squad, a class that captured four consecutive Northwest Indiana Soccer Conference championships.

"This year I'm starting to work better with the entire team," Starcevich said. "We have some younger players and we can be positive examples to them. We want to keep winning titles."